High precision and contactless dielectric loaded resonator for room temperature surface resistance measurements at microwave frequencies

The typical measurement precision of microwave dielectric loaded resonators (DR) is outdated by the new design here presented. A new closed type DR for room temperature operation, which allows loading the conductive samples under investigation without disassembly the whole structure, is designed. Its dimensions are optimized to improve the measurement sensitivity. The operation is in transmission mode, at ~12.9 GHz, based on the TE011 mode. The resonator is then realized and tested. The measurement precision of the quality factor is shown to be more than one order of magnitude smaller than typical values. This allows reaching 1.5 mΩ sensitivity on the surface resistance measurement of normal conductors.